"If you lose some more weight..."
How many of us have heard that comment before?

<<Darts both arms up into the air>>

Obviously weight and weight-related issues are prevalent in my mind since I write about them. ;)

But why am I talking about it now?

Let me take you back to yesterday's visit to the doctor.

On Tuesday November 12 (my wedding anniversary), I headed to the doctor to get my foot checked out since I have been rocking some dull foot pain for a good 6 weeks now. Probably time to get it checked out, right? ;)

I sat on the ever so comfortable doctor's table/chair situation with that fancy sheet of paper fabric on it. The doctor came in - who I haven't seen since 2005 - came in to chat about my problems. I explained the foot pain, she checked out my feet, sat down, looked at me and said:

"If you lost some weight it would be better for your foot. Less pressure on it."

<<insert shocked face here>>

Inner monologue: But I weigh in the 150s which is in the middle of the healthy weight range for my height.

<<insert punch to the gut feeling here>>

Inner monologue: Do I not look as fit and healthy as I feel?

<<insert tiny emotional breakdown>>

Inner monologue: So I should start losing more weight ASAP.

Yes insert all that in about a 20 second period before I could respond: "Well I have shed 80 lbs."

She looks up at me over the rim of her glasses and says: "Well that is a good start."

<<insert open mouth shocked face>>

Inner monologue: Doesn't this lady understand how HUGE that is?

<<insert bigger punch to the gut feeling>>

I tried to focus on what she said about my foot and diagnosing me with metatarsalgia (overuse of my foot) and sending me to a podiatrist.

Since my mind was still on the weight comment, I calmly asked her to go back in my weight record since hey I went to this doctor's office since I was a little kiddie.

As we looked at the weight graph, I pointed out how she could see that I hadn't been in the 150s since 1995 ... when I was in 7th grade.

Her response: "Ahhh good job."

Ummm where's that bedside manner Doc?

I quickly gathered my things, grabbed my prescription and burst out the door.

What did I do next?

Had a mental fight with myself about what to do next: go eat a ton of food then throw it up, not eat anything for the rest of the day or go work out as much as possible since clearly I look much heavier than I thought.

But instead of doing all that, I went to my support: social media.

Thankfully between friends, family and social media, I was talked off the ledge about taking this doctor's comments so hard.

But, it really got me thinking, weight and weight issues are SUCH a sensitive subject that some people are completely oblivious to.

Wording ... delivery ... context.

Discussing weight with a stranger is one of the most sensitive topics I can imagine.

Since embarking on my own weight loss journey, I have become more aware of how discussing weight can impact a person.

I remember - before starting my weight loss journey - going to the gym and seeing the really fit/tiny girls on the treadmill and thinking: "They are so skinny. They don't have to be here" and really judging the people around me. I'll be honest - I did it.

Since starting the journey, I now look at that same person at the gym and wonder: "Have they always been fit? Do they have a story to share?"

No matter the person whether they have always been a healthy weight or they have been underweight or overweight - every person has a story.

Now when the topic of weight comes up in any context of my life, I try to be as careful as possible when figuring out how to word any comment I may want to make. Especially since I am a Weight Watchers Leader and part of so many people's journeys.

Because you really have NO idea what that person has gone through.

Looking at me now, people wouldn't know that I have fought to shed 80 pounds.

A stranger looking at me wouldn't know that I still work to recover from two eating disorders.

While lifting 3 lb weights at the gym, a fellow gym goer would be oblivious to the fact that I was in a car accident in the early 2000s that took a lot of strength from my left side.

So the next time the topic of weight comes up in your everyday life, just take a moment to think and choose words carefully.

Did I say anything to that doctor? No and I regret it. I wish I could've told her how much her words hurt and how instantaneously my mind went to a dark place.

Weight Off My Shoulders

My name is Dani and I am blogging out of the Boston Area. I started this blog in May of 2011 after suffering a back injury and subsequent back surgery in December 2011-January 2011. This space was to serve as a way for me to release the inner feelings I was carrying around and maybe help some other people going through similar situations: eating disorders, depression, weight loss and more.

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